Xenon flash lamps used in strobe units generally comprise a base with a multiple-pin connection, a quartz tube filled with xenon gas exposed to an anode in one end of the tube and a cathode in another end. The tube, at the anode and cathode ends, is secured in a potting material in the base and connected to the pins. A braided nickel wire is wound around the tube in a spiral pattern extending from one end of the tube to the other. The wire is connected to receive power through a triggering device connected to the pins and mounted in the base. When the wire is energized, the xenon is excited to a plasma state which causes a flash due to the gas being ionized in the tube between anode and cathode.
In order to make the flash brighter, and of a longer duration, the tube length is extended. However, due to space restrictions, the extra length is provided in the form of a loop in the tube. The loop creates a large heat concentration which is tolerated by the lamp components during normal flash sequences, however, during flashes of increased energy or extended duration, sufficient heat (about 2,000 degrees F.) is generated to melt the nickel wire, thus rendering the lamp inoperable.
The foregoing illustrates limitations of the known prior art. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations as set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features and benefits more fully disclosed hereinafter.